Hiroshi "Morris" Morioka joins Trash Pandas staff as Senior Manager of Promotions and Entertainment

MADISON, Ala – The Rocket City Trash Pandas are excited to announce the addition of Hiroshi "Morris" Morioka as the club's Senior Manager of Promotions and Entertainment for the 2025 season. Originally from Okayama, Japan, Morris brings over a decade of unique experience gained from working with professional basketball and baseball teams in both the United States and Japan.

As a former high-level athlete, Morioka played basketball from elementary school through high school. He says his experience in Japanese basketball has prepared him for his new role with the Trash Pandas.

"There are many similarities between Japanese professional basketball and minor league baseball," said Morioka. "The venues are comparable in size, but in Japan, we don’t engage fans like teams in the United States, as the Trash Pandas do. While baseball is the most popular sport in Japan, basketball is gaining popularity, especially following the recent Olympic Games.

Morioka's sports background began in the United States when he joined the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (MiLB) in 2009. Although his English was not strong enough for phone calls then, he quickly improved his language skills and earned the club's trust through his passion and innovative ideas for fan entertainment.

“Joining the best brand in Minor League Baseball, the Trash Pandas, I look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of how to run a sports venue of this size and the business of baseball," Morioka stated. “I’m excited to leverage the knowledge I've gained from other sports franchises, including those in Japan, to engage with the Japanese community and promote baseball in any way possible.”

Morioka is also playing a key role in the upcoming Japanese Anime Night on April 10 and is promoting a jersey featuring koi fish and cherry blossoms that the team will wear. All game production and entertainment elements will highlight Japan's heritage and culture.

"I am thrilled to have Morris join our team," said Lindsey Knupp, Executive Vice President of the Trash Pandas. "He brings an unmatched level of energy, excitement, and experience in sports entertainment. Morris is also a fantastic ambassador for our Trash Pandas brand within the community. I look forward to uniting even more communities here at Toyota Field."

Morris has previously worked with the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA), New Mexico Thunderbirds (NBA G League), and Alvark Tokyo, a professional basketball team in Japan. Notably, he also contributed to the NBA Japan Games in 2019 and 2022 during his time at Rakuten.

Morris's creativity was on full display in 2011 when he went viral for dribbling a basketball for 230 miles over 12 days from Tokyo to Sendai, raising money for victims of the 2011 Japanese Tsunami. This initiative captured national attention as news outlets followed his journey.

The Trash Pandas open their fifth season at Toyota Field on Friday, April 4, against the Chattanooga Lookouts. Single-game tickets for the 2025 season are now on sale, starting at just $8 for general admission and $16 for field-level seats. They can be purchased online at tptix.com. Fans can also purchase tickets in person during regular business hours at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office or by calling 256-325-1403, option 1.

Fans can now start booking group outings for the 2025 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or by calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403, option 2. 20-game mini-plans are also available at tptix.com.

For the latest information on events at Toyota Field, visit trashpandasbaseball.com/events.